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Ian McInroy, QMI Agency

May 18, 2012

, Last Updated: 6:43 PM ET

BRADFORD WEST GWILLIMBURY, Ont. – A disastrous beginning to the long weekend was narrowly averted Friday afternoon, after a dump truck travelling on Highway 400 crashed through a centre guardrail into oncoming traffic.

There were no injuries after the northbound truck went into the southbound lanes south of Highway 89 shortly before 1 p.m., somehow avoiding other vehicles, said Sgt. Dave Woodford.

"Traffic was moving at the time when another transport truck lost a tire. The dump truck swerved to miss it, lost control and went through the guardrail and into the southbound lanes," he said. "It's amazing that no other vehicles were involved and a good thing, too."

The crash destroyed four to six metres of the guardrail.

Traffic was rerouted around the scene while crews cleaned up spilt diesel fuel and workers did a temporary fix on the guardrail. It will be completely repaired later when traffic isn't so heavy, perhaps at night.

After the crash, all three southbound lanes were closed. One northbound lane was operating after emergency crews moved the dump truck and the other two were reopened around 1:45 p.m. Southbound lanes reopened a little after 2 p.m.

There was no word on whether charges would be laid in connection with the crash.

Friday's crash was the second in two days in almost the same location to cause traffic problems on Highway 400 near Highway 89.

On Thursday, a gravel truck lost its load on the highway, once again forcing traffic onto nearby secondary roads in Innisfil and Bradford West Gwillimbury.

Traffic stoppages on Highway 400 can wreak havoc on Innisfil roads, according John Skorobohacz, chief administrative officer of the town located about 80 km north of Toronto.